Scottish amateur film producer and director, Ron Miller, created a film in 1979 called 'Movieman'; a documentary about the life of Jimmy Nairn, Inverness cinema manager, photographer, and amateur film maker. The documentary was shown to an appreciative audience, including Mr. Nairn himself, at La Scala cinema, Inverness. In this audio extract, Jimmy recalls the efforts he went to for the Freedom of the Burgh Ceremonies. The photograph shows the interior of the Playhouse where the freedom ceremonies took place.

Interviewer: I notice that in the excerpts from the film of the Freedom Ceremony that you actually designed the backcloth for the stage, and you had a different backcloth for each Freedom Ceremony. How did you do this?

Well, that is true. First of all, when I knew a Freedom Ceremony was about to take place, the council would give me certain information on who was coming, and celebrities that'd be supporting the person receiving the Freedom of the Burgh Ceremony, therefore I drew a number of sketches, coloured them in, and decided to fit the stage setting to suit the occasion. And every occasion, it was quite different, as you say, and made the thing worth looking at. After all, people don't like seeing the same stage setting every time there's a Freedom of the Burgh Ceremony. So that, I felt, ought to be changed and elaborated on. It was very colourful - these stage settings - covering a stage of forty feet by eighteen feet deep, and by about thirty feet high. Very impressive. Well lit with floodlights, coloured lights, and spotlights

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Jimmy Nairn, the 'Movieman' (3 of 3)

INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona

1980s; 1990s

cinemas; audio

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Bill Sinclair Audio: Jimmy Nairn

Scottish amateur film producer and director, Ron Miller, created a film in 1979 called 'Movieman'; a documentary about the life of Jimmy Nairn, Inverness cinema manager, photographer, and amateur film maker. The documentary was shown to an appreciative audience, including Mr. Nairn himself, at La Scala cinema, Inverness. In this audio extract, Jimmy recalls the efforts he went to for the Freedom of the Burgh Ceremonies. The photograph shows the interior of the Playhouse where the freedom ceremonies took place.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: I notice that in the excerpts from the film of the Freedom Ceremony that you actually designed the backcloth for the stage, and you had a different backcloth for each Freedom Ceremony. How did you do this?<br />
<br />
Well, that is true. First of all, when I knew a Freedom Ceremony was about to take place, the council would give me certain information on who was coming, and celebrities that'd be supporting the person receiving the Freedom of the Burgh Ceremony, therefore I drew a number of sketches, coloured them in, and decided to fit the stage setting to suit the occasion. And every occasion, it was quite different, as you say, and made the thing worth looking at. After all, people don't like seeing the same stage setting every time there's a Freedom of the Burgh Ceremony. So that, I felt, ought to be changed and elaborated on. It was very colourful - these stage settings - covering a stage of forty feet by eighteen feet deep, and by about thirty feet high. Very impressive. Well lit with floodlights, coloured lights, and spotlights